Winches are commonly used on sailing vessels to set or trim a genoa or jib. Winches may also be used in other applications where it is desired to tension a sheet or halyard. The winches generally comprise a concave drum about which a rope, otherwise termed a sheet, is wound. The winch is utilized either to let out the sheet or to pull it, as the case may be, in accordance with the course being navigated and the direction of the wind. These winches comprise a socket member adapted to receive the driver of a winch handle. The socket members are of standard dimension across flats, usually 11/16th inches, and may be either defined by four sides or by eight sides.
It is not uncommon for the driver of the winch handle to slip out of the winch socket during operation. This necessitates an interruption or delay in the change of the angle of the sails and further necessitates reinsertion of the driver portion of the winch handle into the socket.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a new and improved winch handle with a winch socket engaging driver, which is accepted into either a four or eight-sided socket and includes detent means for retaining the winch handle driver into the socket so that inadvertent removal is difficult, but intended insertion or removal is easy.